4 Common Landscape Drainage Problems
Let’s go over some of the most common landscape drainage problems and how to fix them.
One of the scariest sights for homeowners is a yard full of standing water after a heavy rainstorm. When your landscape is continuously getting flooded by rain, it makes landscape maintenance almost impossible. Standing water on your property is typically the result of improper drainage, from the grade to an actual drainage channel. Luckily, these problems can be easily remedied. Let’s go over some of the most common landscape drainage problems and how to fix them.
Poor Grading
Grading is the slope of the ground around a home’s perimeter. While a property’s grading usually goes unnoticed, this is the most critical step in protecting your landscape from flooding. The ground should slope away from your property on all sides. Gravity dictates that water will always take the path of least resistance. Ideally, you should always ensure that the ground doesn’t begin to slope upward as you move away from your home.
Plant Beds
When installing plant or garden beds, you need to consider the bed’s layout to prevent another common drainage issue. Improper bed designs disturb the natural water flow, keeping the water from moving in the intended direction. This could cause the water to pool in the beds, killing your plants or flowing to other landscape areas and causing further damage. Your drainage solution should include a site level to calculate the proper slope to move the water downhill efficiently.
Gutters
Gutter spouts are a great tool for maintaining proper landscape drainage. If the gutter spouts are too short, however, they can leave a big puddle, which will frequently be too close to the foundation. Be sure to be mindful of where your gutters are emptying. Emptying them into plant beds may seem like a good idea, but they can oversaturate the plants and affect their growth. Redirect the water to other areas, being mindful that the water run-off does not empty into a divot in the lawn and becomes a water trap.
Paved Areas
Proper grading is also essential for any hardscaped areas, such as patios, decks, and driveways. It is critical to ensure these areas also have the proper slope so water does not collect and create slippery surfaces or erode the pavement. Inspect your paved areas regularly to check for cracks or dips. This could indicate water has eroded the soil underneath, weakening the pavement. Initial grading before installing pavement of any kind is key to preventing these issues.
Choose Sposato Irrigation
Sposato Irrigation is uniquely positioned to offer high-quality, affordable, and reliable irrigation services to homeowners and business owners in Sussex County, Milton, Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean View, Millsboro, Dagsboro, and Ocean City, MD. Thanks to our expertise, innovation and decades of professional experience, we can meet the needs of large properties and small gardens. To learn more about our irrigation installation, LED landscape lighting, and commercial irrigation maintenance services, contact us today. We can be reached at 302-645-4773. Also, check us out on Facebook and Twitter.
